Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a detector arrangement having a plurality of detectors in an array for detecting rays and/or ions/particles (e.g., neutrons, gamma rays and the like).
Discussion of Prior Art
A detector arrangement, such as a neutron detector arrangement, includes a plurality of separate detectors, such as neutron detectors, in an array. Such a neutron detector arrangement provides for the plurality of detectors to be positioned across an area, e.g., within a panel or well counter. The detectors of the detector arrangement are operatively connected to sensory and/or processing equipment, circuitry or the like. Various properties, characteristics, and other information can be discerned by the detections, e.g., of neutrons, by the detectors.
Within one type of arrangement, the detectors are connected in parallel such that the collective output are serially connected and can be provided to common processing circuitry. Such serial connection of outputs provides for efficiency in processing circuitry via provision of the processing circuitry and being commonly processed by the common processing circuitry. However, the serial connection of detector outputs in the array and/or the common processing circuitry may make it difficult to determine which of the plural detectors actually experiences a specific detection event (i.e., reception of a neutron). Also, the serial connection of detectors and/or the common processing circuitry may make it difficult to determine which, if any, of the detectors is not properly operating to perform a detection event.
As such the present inventors have realized that there is a need for improvements concerning detector arrangements that have serially connected detectors in an array.